Anaheim Ducks: Buyers

The Ducks' biggest concerns are Teemu Selanne and Jonas Hiller. Selanne may or may not retire after considering it the past few seasons.

Regardless, Selanne is a free agent and will need a new contract if he is to return. If he does not, Anaheim will have $4.5 million to spend on a replacement.

Along with Selanne's return, there is the question of whether or not goalie Jonas Hiller will be able to overcome vertigo and return between the pipes. If he is not ready to go, the Ducks will be left with Dan Ellis starting in the net if free agent Ray Emery is not re-signed.

Boston Bruins: Buyers

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There's no doubt that the defending Stanley Cup champions will look to return to the finals next season, which inevitably makes them "buyers."

Boston can run essentially the same lineup that won the cup, with a healthy Marc Savard taking over the retired Mark Recchi's spot. However, they will have to figure out a way to keep or replace unrestricted free agents Tomas Kaberle, Michael Ryder, and restricted free agent Brad Marchand.

If the salary cap increases as expected by approximately $3 million, Boston might be able to keep all three if they re-signed for their current salaries.

Unfortunately, Marchand will be looking for a raise from the $821,000 he earned this past season, having produced 41 points in the regular season and being a key contributor to the Bruins' championship.

Expect one of these players to end up elsewhere for the 2011-2012 season.

Buffalo has approximately $17 million in cap space to spend on the above players. Their combined salaries totaled roughly $13 million last season.

New owner Terrence Pegula has brought a positive, winning attitude to the Sabres since buying the team in early February. Expect his passion for winning to nudge Regier into an off-season aimed at improving the Sabres' recent first-round playoff exits.

Calgary Flames: Sellers

Calgary has no cap space left to work with to improve the team this off-season.

Even if they manage to re-sign Alex Tanguay, there is no guarantee that the 2011-2012 season will result any differently than their past two.

After consecutive non-playoff seasons, it might be time for the Flames to start unloading their overpaid, underachieving players and start building towards the future.

During next summer Daymond Langkow, Niklas Hagman, Olli Jokinen, and Cory Sarich will all be unrestricted free agents. It would benefit Calgary to make attempts at having these players waive their no-trade clauses in order to get something in return for them before they leave for free agency.

There is no reason to believe that this team is capable of winning the Stanley Cup as it is now, which is why the Flames need to consider rebuilding.

The Blackhawks took the President's Trophy winner and Stanley Cup finalist Vancouver Canucks to Game 7 in the first round and were one goal away from overcoming a 3-0 series defecit.

This summer, the Hawks will likely let Marty Turco leave for free agency and have Corey Crawford take over the starting job in the net.

Viktor Stalberg, Troy Brouwer, Tomas Kopecky, and Michael Frolik are also free agents. If these players are not re-signed, Chicago could likely call up prospects from the Rockford Ice Hogs to fill in the spots.

Look for Chicago to be creative with their limited cap space and maintain a winning team in the 2011-2012 season.

Colorado Avalance: Sellers

Colorado's 68 points this past season ranked as the second-fewest in the NHL. The young squad is no doubt in a rebuilding process and far from being a contending team.

However, their two most sensible trading assets are both under no-trade clauses.

Veteran Milan Hejduk produced 56 points during this past season and would be a valuable asset to a competing team if the Avs are able to move him.

Additionally, at 30 years old, offensive defenseman John-Michael Liles has one year left on his contract. By the time Colorado develops into a competetive team, Liles will be on the downside of his career.

With the second and elevenths pick in the upcoming entry draft, along with young stars Paul Stastny and Matt Duchene, the Avalanche have the potential to become a very good team in the future.

If they are able to move Liles and Hejduk and receive useful items in return, they would be an even more promising franchise.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Sellers

After finishing 13th out of 15 Western Conference teams this season, there is no reason to believe the Blue Jackets will be buying.

There have been rumors that the Philadelphia Flyers could trade Jeff Carter to Columbus for Jakub Voracek and a first-round draft pick.

That trade would make no sense for Columbus; they are far from being able to compete. Trading a young prospect and first round draft pick for an older player with a larger cap hit would be counterproductive at this point.

The Blue Jackets are not a team that can turn themselves around with the acquisition of just one player.

Columbus would be better off ridding themselves of its veterans and keeping its younger players.

Kristian Huselius, R.J. Umberger, Samuel Pahlsson and Fedor Tyutin are all going to be free agents after the 2011-2012 season, and Columbus should unload them now for prospects and draft picks in an effort to focus on the future.

Dallas Stars: Buyers

That means the team that finished one win away from taking the eighth playoff spot from Chicago will be clear of his $8 million cap hit.

Despite Richards' 70+ points of production, losing him might help the Stars' chances of being a successful hockey team.

If Jamie Langenbrunner and Karlis Skrastins are re-signed for similar salaries, Dallas could have a 20-man roster and still have $17 million in cap space to add key players.

The Stars could legitimately add an entire first line to the roster and become a lock for the playoffs. For example, free agents Alex Tanguay, Ville Leino, and Tomas Kopecky combined for 164 points last season. All three could easily be signed with the $17 million in space Dallas would have.

Minnesota Wild: Sellers

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Minnesota is in a similar position to Calgary; the franchise has spent a lot of money and has little cap space with no success to show for it. In fact, none of the 11 organizations with higher payrolls than Calgary this past season failed to make the playoffs.

The Wild's effort to buy a winning team has not worked out. The expensive, older players must be dumped in order for Minnesota to find their way into the playoffs in later seasons. For example, veteran free agents John Madden and Andrew Brunette should be let go.

If the Wild could get Matt Cullen and Marek Zidlicky to waive their no-trade clauses, moving them would be helpful.

Goaltender Niklas Backstrom would also be a valuable trade asset if Minnesota could find a team to take on his $6 million salary. Currently 32 years of age, Backstrom may be too old by the time the Wild are ready to build a competitive franchise.

New York Rangers: Buyers

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If the team rumored to be in the Brad Richards sweepstakes signs the star free agent, the Rangers will not be able to re-sign some of their own free agents such as Brian McCabe, Alex Frolov, Vinny Prospal, Todd White, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, and Matt Gilroy.

Regardless, the blueshirts will not hesitate to use all available cap space in order to improve on last season's first-round playoff exit.

Ottawa Senators: Sellers

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When the Ottawa Senators disappointingly tanked from being a playoff team in 2010 to a cellar-dweller in 2011, the organization began rebuilding by trading away Mike Fisher, Alex Kovalev, Chris Kelly, and Jarkko Ruutu.

Plans for the future will continue to be executed. If the Senators can find takers for veterans Daniel Alfredsson, Sergei Gonchar, Filip Kuba, and Chris Phillips, they will certainly be on the move.

Philadelphia Flyers: Buyers

The Philadelphia Flyers were one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup before they were swept in the second round.

With faulty goaltending an obvious contributor to the Flyers' early playoff exit, general manager Paul Holmgren will focus this offseason on acquiring a legitimate No. 1 goalie.

Holmgren has acquired the rights to Ilya Bryzgalov from the Phoenix Coyotes, and has stated he has every intention of signing him. Philadelphia will need to clear cap space, and the most likely options are allowing Ville Leino to leave the team through free agency, or trading Kris Versteeg, Matt Carle, or Jeff Carter.

Phoenix Coyotes: Buyers

The Coyotes will have some work to do if they are to return to the playoffs next year.

Among their tasks are finding a replacement for Ilya Bryzgalov and re-signing Kyle Turris, Keith Yandle, and Ed Jovanovski.

Phoenix has plenty of cap space to work with; even if Turris and Yandle ask for $6 million or more per season, they will have over $7 million to spend on a replacement for Bryzgalov.

However, all Phoenix forwards that do not hit free agency this summer will be free agents after this season.

If the Coyotes are unable to put together a winning team, expect players like Shane Doan, Ray Whitney, Michal Rozsival, and Jovanovski (assuming he is signed this offseason) to be on the market near the trade deadline.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Buyers

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Despite playing without superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Pittsburgh Penguins were able to make the playoffs last season and even managed to compete with the Philadelphia Flyers for the Atlantic Division title during the final week of the season.

With a healthy Crosby and Malkin in the lineup, Pittsburgh is sure to be a Stanley Cup contender again next season.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Buyers

Since taking over as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning last summer, Steve Yzerman has been quick in making his mark known.

He's made the Lightning one of the best teams in the NHL, putting Tampa Bay just one win from the Stanley Cup Finals in his first season.

In an effort to establish a winning tradition in style, Yzerman has also revamped the look of the organization with a new logo and matching uniforms. And in order to keep improving his team, Yzerman will need to find a way to re-sign superstar Steven Stamkos, who is a restricted free agent this summer.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Sellers

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General Manager Brian Burke made a few trades this past season in hopes of rebuilding the Maple Leafs.

The highlights of those trades include Toronto giving up Francois Beauchemin, Kris Versteeg, and Tomas Kaberle for the young Joffrey Lupul, two first-round draft picks, and 21-year-old prospect Joe Colborne.